Scientists have bioengineered an enhancement to a cutting edge technology that provides instant control over brain circuit activity with a flash of light. The research adds the same level of control over switching neurons off that, until now, had been limited to switching them on. What had been working through a weak pump now works through a highly responsive channel -- like going from a squirt to a gushing hose. Project officer Michelle Freund, Ph.D., of the NIMH Office of Technology Development and Coordination, explains the significance of the new findings.

How the brain reacts to anesthesia is a neuroscientific phenomenon that includes a dash of mystery. But the study of anesthesia could lead to treatment of sleep issues frequently associated with many mental disorders.

The human brain goes through a complex process to form and consolidate memories. But is it possible to replace memories of fearful events, and in doing so, assist in the treatment of patients suffering from the debilitating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder or other anxiety disorders? Dr.Joseph LeDoux and a team of New York University neuroscientists think they have found a way to replace traumatic memories through therapy.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) sat down with researcher Dr. Robert Sapolsky to discuss his ground-breaking research and to answer the question: Can we learn to handle stress by observing animals in the wild? In trying times, the answers may be with the life and death decisions made by these animals and their predators.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) interviewed Dr. Gene Robinson about his recent research on bees and socialization and asks these questions: What is the most altruistic animal? What can we learn from the small, but complex bees?

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) talks with Dr. Charis Eng about advances in personalized medicine. As the field of mental health strives to find genetic markers for mental illnesses, we look to the field of cancer research which has made enormous strides in personalized genomic medicine.